Ralph Stanley at home in Coeburn, Virginia, in 1974. Stanley, who was born on 25 February, 1927, in Big Spraddle Creek, Virginia, is one of the titans of American music. An accomplished bluegrass banjo players, he has a distinctive deep voice, which can be heard singing the track O Death on the Coen Brothers' film O, Brother Where Art Thou? The song won a 2002 Grammy Award in the category of Best Male Country Vocal Performance.